AQA physics equation sheet
AQA's GCSE Physics course (8463) lists 35 equations, and Combined Science: Trilogy (8464) lists 28. For your exams, AQA prints all of them on its Physics Equations Sheet, which comes inside every physics paper. That has been true since 2025 and continues from 2028. Six of the Physics equations and three of the Trilogy ones are for Higher tier only.
The board's own documents
- AQA GCSE Physics specification (8463) (Specification (PDF))
- AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy specification (8464) (Specification (PDF))
- AQA Physics Equations Sheet (June 2026) (Equation sheet (PDF))
- AQA Trilogy Physics Equations Sheet (June 2026) (Equation sheet (PDF))
Equations the specification lists for recall
| Equation | Physics | Combined Science |
|---|---|---|
| Weight formula: W = mg | Recall Order 1 W = m g | Recall Order 1 W = m g |
| Work done formula: W = Fs | Recall Order 2 W = F s | Recall Order 2 W = F s |
| Spring force equation: F = k e | Recall Order 3 F = k e | Recall Order 3 F = k e |
| Speed formula: distance = speed × time | Recall Order 6 s = v t | Recall Order 4 s = v t |
| Moment of a force: M = F d | Recall Order 4 M = F d | Not in this specification |
| Acceleration formula: a = (v − u)/t | Recall Order 7 a = Δv/t | Recall Order 5 a = Δv/t |
| Pressure formula: p = F ÷ A | Recall Order 5 p = F/A | Not in this specification |
| Force formula: F = ma | Recall Order 8 F = m a | Recall Order 6 F = m a |
| Momentum formula: p = mv | Recall · Higher tier only Order 9 p = m v | Recall · Higher tier only Order 7 p = m v |
| Kinetic energy formula: E = ½mv² | Recall Order 10 Ek = ½ m v² | Recall Order 8 Ek = ½ m v² |
| Gravitational potential energy formula: E = m g h | Recall Order 11 Ep = m g h | Recall Order 9 Ep = m g h |
| Power equation: P = E/t | Recall Order 12 P = E/t | Recall Order 10 P = E/t |
| Power formula: P = W/t | Recall Order 13 P = W/t | Recall Order 11 P = W/t |
| Efficiency formula | Recall Order 14 useful output energy transfer ÷ total input energy transfer | Recall Order 12 useful output energy transfer ÷ total input energy transfer |
| Efficiency formula | Recall Order 15 useful power output ÷ total power input | Recall Order 13 useful power output ÷ total power input |
| Wave speed equation: v = fλ | Recall Order 16 v = f λ | Recall Order 14 v = f λ |
| Charge equation: Q = It | Recall Order 17 Q = I t | Recall Order 15 Q = I t |
| Potential difference equation: V = IR | Recall Order 18 V = I R | Recall Order 16 V = I R |
| Electrical power equation: P = VI | Recall Order 19 P = V I | Recall Order 17 P = V I |
| Power equation: P = I²R | Recall Order 20 P = I² R | Recall Order 18 P = I² R |
| Energy transferred equation: E = Pt | Recall Order 21 E = P t | Recall Order 19 E = P t |
| Energy transferred = charge × potential difference (E = QV) | Recall Order 22 E = Q V | Recall Order 20 E = Q V |
| Density formula: ρ = m/V | Recall Order 23 ρ = m/V | Recall Order 21 ρ = m/V |
Equations the specification gives on the sheet
| Equation | Physics | Combined Science |
|---|---|---|
| The equation v² − u² = 2as | Given on the sheet Order 2 v² − u² = 2 a s | Given on the sheet Order 1 v² − u² = 2 a s |
| Pressure in a liquid: p = hρg | Given on the sheet · Higher tier only Order 1 p = h ρ g | Not in this specification |
| Elastic potential energy formula: E = ½ k e² | Given on the sheet Order 4 Ee = ½ k e² | Given on the sheet Order 2 Ee = ½ k e² |
| Specific heat capacity equation: ΔE = m c Δθ | Given on the sheet Order 5 ΔE = m c Δθ | Given on the sheet Order 3 ΔE = m c Δθ |
| Force and change in momentum: F = mΔv/Δt | Given on the sheet · Higher tier only Order 3 F = m Δv/Δt | Not in this specification |
| Wave speed equation: v = fλ | Given on the sheet Order 6 T = 1/f | Given on the sheet Order 4 T = 1/f |
| Force on a current in a magnetic field: F = BIl | Given on the sheet · Higher tier only Order 8 F = B I l | Given on the sheet · Higher tier only Order 5 F = B I l |
| Specific latent heat equation: E = m L | Given on the sheet Order 9 E = m L | Given on the sheet Order 6 E = m L |
| magnification = image height ÷ object height | Given on the sheet Order 7 magnification = image height ÷ object height | Not in this specification |
| Transformer power equation: Vp Ip = Vs Is | Given on the sheet · Higher tier only Order 11 Vp Ip = Vs Is | Given on the sheet · Higher tier only Order 7 Vp Ip = Vs Is |
| Transformer turns equation: Vp/Vs = Np/Ns | Given on the sheet · Higher tier only Order 10 Vp/Vs = np/ns | Not in this specification |
| Pressure and volume of a gas: pV = constant | Given on the sheet Order 12 p V = constant | Not in this specification |
What AQA's list contains
AQA's specification, the document that sets out the course, lists the equations in an appendix. It splits them into two tables. The first holds 23 equations the specification says to recall and apply. The second holds 12 that you select from the sheet and apply.
The first table covers the core tools. For forces and motion you have W = m g, W = F s, F = k e, s = v t, a = Δv/t, F = m a and p = m v. Energy brings Ek = ½ m v², Ep = m g h, P = E/t and P = W/t, and efficiency in two word forms, one for energy and one for power. Waves give v = f λ, and matter gives ρ = m/V. The electricity group is Q = I t, V = I R, P = V I, P = I² R, E = P t and E = Q V. Physics students also have M = F d and p = F/A.
The second table, in AQA's own letters, holds these:
- Pressure of a liquid column, p = h ρ g
- Final and initial velocity, v² − u² = 2 a s
- Force from momentum change, F = m Δv/Δt
- Elastic potential energy, Ee = ½ k e²
- Thermal energy change, ΔE = m c Δθ
- Period of a wave, T = 1/f
- Magnification = image height ÷ object height
- Force on a conductor, F = B I l
- Energy for a change of state, E = m L
- Transformer turns, Vp/Vs = np/ns
- Transformer power, Vp Ip = Vs Is
- Gas at constant temperature, p V = constant
Since 2025 the recall and select labels make no difference in the exam, because AQA's sheet prints both tables. The labels still tell you which equations the course leans on most.
Physics 8463 against Combined Science 8464
Trilogy students have a shorter list. Two recall equations drop out: the moment of a force and pressure = force ÷ area. Five sheet equations go too. These are liquid pressure, force from change in momentum, magnification, transformer turns and the gas law.
That leaves 21 recall equations and 7 from the sheet for Trilogy. AQA prints a separate sheet for Combined Science, shared with the Synergy course (8465), and it carries all 28. If you take Trilogy, use that sheet when you practise, so you do not waste time hunting for equations that will never come up.
Higher tier equations on AQA
In GCSE Physics (8463), six equations are for Higher tier only. Momentum, p = m v, is the one from the recall table. The other five come from the sheet table: liquid pressure, force from momentum change, force on a conductor, and both transformer equations.
In Trilogy (8464) the Higher tier set is three: p = m v, F = B I l and Vp Ip = Vs Is. AQA is the only board of the three that puts the transformer power equation in Higher tier alone. Edexcel and OCR use it on both tiers.
Where AQA differs from Edexcel and OCR
A few AQA details trip up students who use a revision guide written for another board. AQA writes extension as e, so the spring equation is F = k e and elastic potential energy is Ee = ½ k e². Edexcel and OCR use x.
AQA is also the only board with a power version of efficiency, useful power output ÷ total power input. The other boards give only the energy version. Period = 1 ÷ frequency appears on both AQA courses and on no other board's list. Magnification appears only in AQA Physics.
AQA Physics students also need pressure in a liquid, p = h ρ g. OCR has it too, while Edexcel leaves it out completely. One small printing detail: in the transformer turns equation, AQA writes the number of turns with a lower-case n.
AQA's own documents
You can check everything on this page against AQA's PDFs. The appendix with the equation tables is near the end of each specification.
- GCSE Physics 8463 specification, Appendix A
- Physics Equations Sheet for 8463, the June 2026 insert
- Combined Science: Trilogy 8464 specification, Appendix B
- Physics Equations Sheet for 8464 and 8465, the June 2026 insert
For the other boards and the rules on exam sheets, go back to the GCSE physics equation sheet overview.
Common mistakes
- Mixing in letters from another board. AQA's sheet writes extension as e, so an answer that switches to x is harder for an examiner to follow.
- Revising the gas law or magnification for Trilogy. Neither is on the Combined Science list.
- Leaving the Higher tier equations until last when you are entered for Higher. Any of the six can come up in your papers.
Try the AQA forms, including F = k e, in Equation Rearranger.
Questions people ask
How many equations are on the AQA GCSE physics sheet?
The Physics (8463) sheet has 35. The Combined Science sheet for Trilogy (8464) and Synergy (8465) has 28.
Do Trilogy and Synergy students get the same sheet?
Yes. AQA makes one Combined Science sheet for both Trilogy (8464) and Synergy (8465), with the same 28 equations.
When does AQA publish the sheet?
From 2028, AQA must publish each sheet by 1 September of the year before the exams. The sheets we checked for this page are the inserts for June 2026.